A Crow for Contract
by xThexFightingxIrishx
Summary: Eric Draven is brought back from the dead. Again. He returns to the old apartment he shared with his beloved Shelly. But this time, he isn't back to revenge Shelly's death or even his own. This time, he is sent back to PREVENT a murder from happening. The new tenant that lives in the apartment lost her own love and suffered great tragedy. Now the men are coming back for her.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note****: Well, I know it's been a REALLY long time since I posted anything. I've had a MAJOR case of writer's block and it's been real tough. But my best friend – xBlackxRosexRebellionx – reminded me that I've had this story done for MONTHS now and that she thought it was "PHENOMENAL" so I thought I'd post it to at least give those of you that actually read my stories something to read. Hopefully you'll enjoy it. It's quite and old story but it's something at least. And I've got 3 chapters done so far. She gave me ideas for a new Friday Night Lights story too so, with any luck, I'll have some Tim Riggins to post here whenever I get the ideas together and form them into an actual chapter. But here you go. I hope you enjoy it.**

**Chapter 1:**

_**-=**__**Eric Draven**__**=-**_

Eric Draven's eyes snapped open and he gazed up, finding himself in the dark confines of a coffin. This wasn't the first time this had happened. He'd awakened to this once before. Last time it had been to avenge his and Shelly's deaths. His sweet, beloved Shelly. But she was at peace now. And he had been too. Until now.

He reached up to push at the lid of the coffin, shoving again and again until he finally heard the telltale creak as it started to lift upwards. He dug his way up out of the grave and emerged from the ground, covered in mud. As the rain pelted down on him, he looked up at the sky and gave a cynical smile. Of _course_ it was raining.

He saw the crow sitting on his tombstone and nodded. He had a purpose. There was yet another reason to bring him back from the dead. He wondered what it was. He had already avenged his and Shelly's deaths. So what was there that would bring him back from the dead… again?

The crow gave a loud _CAW_ and opened its wings, soaring across the dark cemetery with a flutter of black wings. He nodded and started to follow. The sooner he could figure out what it was that he had been brought back to deal with, the sooner he could get it taken care of and return to Shelly.

He stumbled over the muddy ground, his body still weak as it worked on regaining the strength it had lost after he'd died the last time. He fumbled and staggered through the dark, deserted alleys of the city, looking all around him and sometimes even stopping to make a full circle. He took in every detail, noticing that things had certainly changed a lot more than they had the last time he'd been in the Land of the Living. There were new buildings. Some of the names of the places he'd known before had changed. The cars had changed and the clothes that the people he saw wore had changed too. But he had to keep moving. The crow had turned to circle back, giving a loud _CAW!_

So he continued to follow it, stumbling down the streets until he came to the old apartment building he'd once lived in with Shelly. The bird stopped there, landing on the doorstep of the apartment complex and pecking at the door. He somehow managed to fumble his way up the steps and open the door, peering into the building.

The place looked a lot different. He wondered how many years had passed in the Land of the Living. The apartment complex had been remodeled and it looked restored to the point that it was in better shape than it had been in when he'd lived there with Shelly.

He looked over at the crow, shaking and shivering with the cold, and found that it had flown up the staircase and was now staring at the door to his and Shelly's old apartment. He sighed but nodded and shuffled over to the staircase, taking the steps one at a time until he got to the door. He reached out and placed his hand on the knob of the door.

He tried turning but found that it was locked. Before he had a chance to pull his hand back, images flashed through his mind.

_A woman with long, wavy, brown hair opening the door and smiling as she headed into the kitchen, calling out, "Gaaaaage…? I'm home!"_

_There was the sound of scuffling and she set the bags of groceries she'd had in her arms onto the counter, her brows wrinkling in confusion. She reached out for one of the steak knives from the rack they were held in there on the kitchen counter and slowly crept towards the doorway of the kitchen._

_She peered into the living room to find 5 men gathered around a man with shaggy, black hair. One of the men had his hand fisted in the black-haired man's hair and he was forcing him to look at the doorway of the kitchen._

"_Looks like HONEY'S home!" the man holding him by the hair cried gleefully, a sadistic gleam in his eyes._

_The woman gasped, one hand flying to her mouth in surprise._

"_Well now… Don't be shy, sweetheart. Come right on in and join us," the man holding her lover by the hair told her._

_Her hand on the knife tightened and she started to raise it as she took a couple steps closer._

"_Aw now… There's no reason for THAT," the man said, nodding to one of the men who had moved to come up behind her._

_The man wrapped his arms around her and lifted her right up off of her feet and into the air._

"_Drop it, toots," the man holding her instructed._

_But she fought, lashing out at the man and trying to stab him with the knife that she held so tightly._

_Her efforts were to no avail though and he just laughed as she thrashed in his arms. She cried out in frustration and threw her head back, cracking him in the nose. He dropped her and stumbled backwards, reaching up to cover his bleeding nose with a hand._

"_You BITCH!" the man snarled, glaring at her._

_Her lover lunged towards her, trying to break free from his captors as they tried to hold him back. He thrashed hard in their hold and finally managed to get free, falling to the floor._

"_Gage!" the woman cried, rushing over to kneel in front of her lover and cupping his face in her hands._

"_Libby!" Gage said, reaching out towards her with open arms._

"_Aw… How TOUCHING," the man that had previously been holding Gage by the hair said, watching the two of them as Gage tried to wrap the woman up in his arms and glare up at the men that had clearly broken into their apartment._

_The woman's eyes narrowed at the men as well and she looked at each of them in turn. She took in every detail of their appearance._

_The man that had been holding Gage by the hair, the leader of the group, sneered at them and said, "Well… Family reunion's over, folks. As you can see, we came here lookin' for somethin'. And we haven't found it yet."_

_He gestured with a wide sweep of his hand to gesture to the now-topsy-turvy looking apartment. Things were strewn everywhere, the floors littered with clothes, pieces of furniture, broken lamps, a shattered TV, pictures, and other memorabilia. The place was a real mess._

"_What do you want?" Gage asked them, his voice clipped with his anger as he tightened his hold on Libby just a little, easing her closer to him still._

"_Well… ya see…" the leader informed them as he stepped over this or that as it lay scattered all over the apartment floor, "Our boss gave us a VERY specific mission. Come to this apartment complex, head up to THIS apartment in particular, and rip it apart until we found that stupid BIRD!"_

_He shouted the last word like it was a curse word, his face scrunching up in disgust._

"_The crow?" Libby asked quietly._

"_YES!" he shouted, whirling around to face her and leaning down in her face, "The CROW."_

_She jumped back and gave a little whimper, leaning a little closer to Gage as he held her._

"_The bird comes and goes as it pleases," Gage tried to explain, "She just keeps food out for it in case it stops in. There are no patterns for when it stops. It doesn't stop every day. Some days it will come every day for a week straight and other times it will go a week or two without ever showing up. Why would you want the crow anyway?"_

"'_Cuz it brought some real bad luck on a bad boy big shot about 20 years back. Some REAL bad luck," the leader of the group stated in a matter-of-fact tone._

"_The bird can't bring bad luck," Libby said, "It's just a bird. It doesn't mean anything. It's just the same as any other ordinary bird, whether it's a parrot or a blue jay."_

_The man leaned down and took Libby's face in his hand, squeezing her cheeks inward as he sneered, "Well that's where you're WRONG, sweet cheeks."_

_Gage gave a quiet snarl and lunged forward, head-butting the man and sending him staggering backwards._

_The man fell on his ass and landed with an "Oof!" before he gave a frustrated growl and pushed himself to his feet, striding over to Gage and landing a hard slap on his cheek._

"_No!" Libby shouted, "Stop it! Just STOP it! Don't hurt him!"_

"_Oh I'm gonna hurt him, sweetheart," the man said, "And you're gonna watch it. Then I'm gonna have a little fun with YOU."_

"_No!" Gage cried in protest._

"_Get him up!" the leader bellowed to the rest of the men, who were quick to separate Libby from Gage and force her to drop the knife that she'd managed to pick up again as two men held Gage, each of them holding onto one of his arms as they dragged him across the floor and brought him over to their leader._

_Their leader pulled a gun from the back of his waistband and flipped the safety off, pointing the gun at Gage and pressing it to his forehead. He pulled the trigger and Libby shrieked as the blood splattered everywhere._

_She gave another mournful shout and slumped in the men's hold, sobbing pitifully._

"_Now…" the leader said, reaching up with his empty hand to wipe the blood from his face as the men let go of Gage's body and let it fall to the floor with a loud THUMP, "It's YOUR turn, my dear."_

_Her eyes grew wide with fear and she struggled against the men that were holding her._

"_No!" she shouted as the man drew closer, "NO!"_

_She thrashed harder and the man stepped up to press a hand over her chest, groping at first one of her breasts and then the other._

"_NO!" she shrieked, struggling harder._

_The man took a knife from its sheath at his belt and cut her blouse open. She gasped and froze, her brown eyes wide with fear._

Eric fell to the floor, sinking to his knees and cradling his face in his hands as the images came to a stop. Now he knew why he had been sent. Another couple had been attacked and murdered right there in his and Shelly's old apartment and it had something to do with the crow.

He heard feet shuffling towards the door and he heard the click as the lock was turned and the door was pulled open.

As he sat there, he heard a woman's voice ask softly, hesitantly, "Sir… Are you all right?"

He felt a gentle hand rest on his shoulder and he jerked backwards, falling onto his back as more images flashed through his mind.

_Libby sprawled out on the floor as the leader of the group started to tug his pants down, her eyes filling with fear as she thrashed against the men and screamed. One of the men tried to cover her mouth and she bit him, making him jerk his hand away quickly._

"Don't!" he said, "Don't touch me!"

"I'm sorry," she apologized, gazing down at him with concern filling her eyes, brown eyes with flecks of green closer to the whites of her eyes, and holding her hands up to show him that she meant him no harm.

He knew those eyes. They were Libby's eyes.

He cocked his head first to one side and then the other as his hazel eyes focused on her.

"Are you okay?" she asked, rephrasing her earlier question and slowly standing back up as she looked down at him.

He didn't answer.

She reached down to offer him her tiny hand and said, "Please. Why don't you come in? You're soaked and you're shivering. You can take a hot shower and I can fix you some coffee or hot chocolate. Something to warm you up. I'm sure some of Gage's old clothes would probably fit you. Those look about shot."

He couldn't help but laugh at that. He'd been shot. Again and again. He remembered _everything_ from the first time he'd been back to the Land of the Living. Hell he'd been shot _and _stabbed.

She cocked her head to one side and studied him before reaching down to offer him her hand again.

"You're all wet and cold," she reminded him, "Why don't you come in and get warm and dry? I'd hate ta see ya catch a cold and I'd be grateful if someone offered me the same kindness."

He finally nodded but didn't reach out to take her hand, purposefully avoiding making any physical contact with her for fear that he would get more flashbacks from her past. He pushed himself up into a seated position and then onto his feet before he followed her into the apartment.

She held the door for him, motioning with a sweep of her hand for him to walk into the apartment he had once owned with Shelly. As he walked past her, he noticed that her long, wavy, brown hair was behind one of her shoulders and it showed her neck. There was a scar there, on the side of her neck. He knew that she would always have it, the mark that had no doubt been left there by the men that had attacked her and her lover. Eric was surprised by the fact that she was still alive though. He clearly wasn't back to avenge _her_ death.

She gave him a friendly smile and closed the door as she told him, "Here. I'll show you to the bathroom. You can take a hot shower and toss your clothes out the door. I'll wash them for you. Leather can't be thrown into a washer or it'll get ruined so I'll hafta wash it by hand. Until then, you can borrow some of my… Gage's clothes."

He heard the way she'd hesitated, knew the pain she must feel at the man's loss.

He nodded to her and silently followed her down the hallway and to the bathroom.

She pulled the door closed behind him and told him, "Just toss your clothes out the bathroom door when you get them off. I'll go fix you something warm to drink."

He stripped down and folded the clothes up, setting them on the floor just outside the bathroom before he closed the door again and turned to head over to the shower. He reached out to adjust the heat of the water and then stepped under the hot spray. He groaned, tipping his head back as the water splashed over his face. It felt so good to get out of those cold, wet clothes and stand under the hot water of the shower. He took his time washing up and made sure to wash his hair and body thoroughly before he pressed one hand to the tiled wall of the shower and hung his head, letting the water rush over him for a few more minutes. Finally, he turned the water off and stepped out of the shower, shuffling barefooted over to the bathroom cabinets to pull them open and search for a towel.

He found one and dried his body off but didn't bother with trying to dry his hair. He wrapped the towel loosely around his waist and pulled the bathroom door open to find a stack of folded clothes waiting for him. He picked them up and closed the door again. He found a black tank top with the words "Jack Daniels" across the chest in white lettering. There was a pair of black jeans and black boxer briefs. There was a black hoodie with white skulls and shiny, gold lettering on the back of it. He smiled to himself. Whoever's clothes they were, they had good taste.

He pulled the clothes on and tossed the towel he'd used into the hamper there in the bathroom before shuffling barefooted down the hallway and into the kitchen. He found Libby stirring first one mug and then another full of something. She rinsed the spoon at the sink and then put it into the dishwasher. Then she grabbed the handles of the mugs, one in each hand, and carried them over to the table.

She offered him another smile and he discovered that she didn't open her mouth when she smiled.

"I hope you don't mind hot chocolate?" she asked.

He saw noticed that she had a bit of a gap between her two front teeth. She was also just a tiny little thing, probably standing at just 5'0", compared to his 6'0" frame that was made of rippling muscle.

"Not at all," he told her, moving to pull out a chair.

He took a seat and reached out for the mug, taking a sip and commenting, "Made with milk."

She nodded and said, "I like it best that way. But if you don't like it, I can make it again but with water instead."

He shook his head and looked up at her again, finding that her brown eyes looked more hazel in this lighting, before he told her, "No. This is just fine. I like it this way."

She smiled in approval and then informed him, "I washed your clothes while you were in the shower. And don't worry. I'm used to washing leather. Gage always loved to wear leather pants or leather jackets or vests and I own a leather jacket of my own. So I know all about the proper care of leather garments. I washed them in warm water, and tried to pat them a little. It'll probably take quite a while for them to dry. It could take one to three days actually. He always hated waiting on them. And pants and jackets always take the longest time to dry. When they dry, I'll use some leather conditioner on them. Do you have somewhere to stay?"

He was impressed by her knowledge of leather cleaning and treatment. But he shook his head.

"No," he answered honestly.

"Well I have a spare room here. I'd hate ta send ya away if ya don't have anywhere ta go. You're free ta stay here. Besides, you'll hafta wait for your clothes ta dry anyway. And it's only Friday night, so I don't imagine you'll have work or anything to attend to over the weekend."

He was amazed by how innocent and naïve she was. Here she was, offering a man she knew nothing about that had just randomly shown up at her door to stay at her apartment for the weekend. She'd tended to his dirty clothes and had fixed him some hot chocolate. She was trying to make conversation with him and be both friendly and polite. He wondered if she ever had anyone stop by for visits or if she was being so nice to him because she had no one to talk to.

"I suppose I could stay," he said quietly.

"Only if you're sure," she told him, "You don't have to, by any means. I just don't see the point in you sleepin' out on the streets if you could stay here instead."

He nodded in agreement. It would be nice to have a place to stay, especially in his and Shelly's old apartment. It was like being home again. Only, this time, Shelly wasn't with him.

"Oh! Where are my manners?!" she scolded herself, catching him off guard and making him laugh, "I'm sorry. My name's Elizabeth Sorenson but all my friends call me Libby. What's yours?"

"Eric," he told her, "Eric Draven."

She nodded to him and it became apparent to him that she must not have heard of him or his band, Hangman's Joke. It made him a little sad to be honest. But he pushed that aside as she asked him another question.

"Are you hungry, Eric? Would you like something to eat? I have some leftovers from supper if you'd like some. I know that probably doesn't sound all that appetizing but I'm not a bad cook, I promise. There's lasagna and peaches and garlic bread. There's some salad too. Or I made my famous Magic Bars yesterday if you'd like some. They're made of graham cracker crust, coconut, chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, pecans, and condensed milk to hold them together," she offered.

He gave her a bright smile and said, "Actually, I'm _famished_."

She gave him a bright smile, actually showing her teeth that time, and got up from her spot at the table to grab a plate from one of the cabinets and a fork, knife, and spoon from the silverware drawer. She headed over to the fridge and tugged the door open, starting to pull containers of food out. She set them out on the counter for him and turned to face him again.

"Well, help yourself," she said with another smile, "Take as much or as little as you want. You're doin' me a favor ta be honest. I don't eat that much and I can't exactly make food for one person all that easily."

He chuckled and pushed his chair back, getting to his feet. He walked over to the counter and she moved out of his way, heading over to hop up on the countertop and watch as he began to scoop some lasagna out of the container and onto his plate.

He turned to look at her and asked, "Paper towels?"

She pointed them out to him and he nodded, reaching out to rip one off the roll and putting it over his food.

He went to pop it into the microwave but she shook her head and hopped off the counter, walking over to him and telling him, "Here."

He watched as she carried his plate over to set it beside the sink, turning the faucet on low and cupping a little water into her hand. She dipped her fingertips into the water in her hand and moved them over the paper towel, repeating the process until the water was gone from her hand. He cocked his head to the side as he watched this strange process.

"You don't wanna drench the paper towel but if you get it moist, it'll keep your food from getting dried out when you put it in the microwave," she explained.

He nodded but didn't really believe her. He reached out to take the plate but she gently took it from him again, stepping around him and carrying it over to place it in the microwave and set it for a minute.

When the food was done, she took it out and pulled the now moist and somewhat stained paper towel off of the lasagna and pitched it into the trashcan in one of the cabinets under the sink. She grabbed his fork, cut a piece of the Italian dish, and offered him the bite.

He frowned but leaned out to gently take it off the fork. He chewed and swallowed. She was right on two accounts. The food wasn't dry and her cooking was delicious.

He nodded to her and she let him take the plate and the fork. He went to go heat up a piece of garlic bread and then scooped some lettuce and peaches onto his plate. He sat down at the table and dug in heartily as she took her mug over to the sink and rinsed it out. She hopped up on the countertop again and he gazed up at her, studying her.

Libby wasn't what most men would call gorgeous but she wasn't ugly by any means either. She had hazel eyes that were rimmed with long, dark lashes. She had long, wavy, brown hair that flowed down her back and over her shoulders, coming to stop halfway down her back. She had a nose that was neither too narrow nor too wide and it went well with the rest of her features. Her lips were full and sensual looking and she had a small chin. A light sprinkling of freckles was splashed over the bridge of her nose and her cheeks. She had large, full breasts, probably a 36D. While she wasn't a slim little thing, she wasn't fat either. She just had meat on her bones, in a healthy way. Her hips had a sexy flare to them and her legs weren't long and slender but they were firm with muscle instead. She was wearing a plain black hoodie made of regular cotton material that laced across the chest, showing off some of her cleavage, and up her upper arms as well. On her legs, there was a pair of snug-fitting, dark denim jeans with stonewashed stains down the fronts of them. She had black ankle socks on her tiny feet that read Nononsense across the toes.

Eric heard a familiar _CAW_ and his head jerked around to the large, circular, glass pane in the window that overlooked the city of Detroit. There was the crow, tapping at the glass with its beak.

"Oh!" Libby said, hopping off the countertop to head over to the living room and push the pane a bit to open it wide enough to let the bird in.

She held her arm out to the bird and it flew right to her, landing on her arm and climbing its way up to her shoulder. She reached up to scratch gently at its feathers and crooned to it softly.

"Well hey there, Houdini," she greeted the bird with a smile, "And what would you like today? It's been a couple days since I saw you last, ya know?"

The bird gave a soft chittering noise and looked at her as she reached up to stroke its feathers again.

"I know. You're sorry," she said with a laugh, "Let's go get some food into that belly. Let's see what we've got…"

Eric watched as she continued on her way over to the fridge and started pulling things out. The bird flew over to the kitchen table and waited eagerly while she fixed up a saucer with a few fresh cherries and blueberries, some peanuts, a handful of small scraps of meat, a few pieces of cubed cheese, some bread crust, and even a bit of frozen corn that had been thawed before.

"_There_ we go," she said as she sat the saucer in front of the bird, "That's a balanced meal for you."

Eric watched as the bird happily worked on making the food pull the disappearing act.

"So you have a pet crow…" Eric commented.

He couldn't fight the smile the curled his lips. That was _his _crow, the one that guided him and let him see the things that it thought he should see. And here she'd managed to turn the wild bird into a pet. And an _affectionate_ one at that.

He watched as it turned its neck into her fingertips as she scratched gently.

"I hope you don't mind him?" Libby asked, "He's really good company, believe it or not. He's usually here every night. He makes his regular visits. He used to visit less frequently but, for the past few months, his visits have been pretty regular."

"Oh I don't mind at all," Eric informed her, "In fact, you could say that I'm a bit of a bird person myself."

She smiled and laughed a little. He liked her laugh. It was catchy and it made him smile.

"Well, you're welcome ta stay up as late as you want," she told him, "And I'm a bit of a night owl myself. So, chances are, I'll still be awake by the time you get ready ta head ta bed. You just come look me up when you get ready ta settle in for the night and I'll see to it that you have everythingyou'll need in the guest room. You're welcome ta watch TV or listen to music or whatever you'd like."

He nodded to her and got up to take his dirty plate and silverware over to the sink, rinsing them off. He was surprised when he turned around only to have her ease them out of his hands and put them into the dishwasher.

He felt her fingertips skim against his hand and he waited for the images to flash through his mind. But they didn't. Not this time. Her hands were soft and tiny. They were only about half the size of his.

He walked away, not wanting to stand too close to her, and went to stand in the middle of the living room. His eyes landed on a black electric guitar that was sitting in the stand in the corner of the room. It shined so it had been dusted recently. On one side of the strings, it read it fancy, italicized scrawl in deep red colored letters, "My Heart Beats Only for You". And, on the other, it read "You're My Greatest Song".

"You play?" he asked her, reaching down to pick the guitar up by the neck.

"No," she replied, shaking her head hard, "I always wanted ta learn how to play but Gage never had the time ta teach me. He was busy with work and I was in college during the week and he played in gigs with his band on the weekends."

"So this is his?" Eric asked.

She nodded.

He carried the guitar over to one of the chairs there in the living room and sat down, beginning to play a song he'd once played with his band, Hangman's Joke. The guitar wailed as his fingers danced over the chords and her eyes widened as she listened.

"That's _beautiful_," he heard her say.

"I used to be in a band myself," he informed her.

She smiled at him and said, "Well I don't think Gage would mind if you played it. It was his pride and joy. It hasn't been played since he played it last, a few months ago now. Hell I'm surprised it's not out of tune."

"It's a fine instrument," Eric stated, "Gibson."

She nodded and laughed, telling him, "That was the only brand Gage would ever buy."

"He's a smart man," Eric commented.

"_Was_ a smart man," she corrected him, "Gage died 5 months ago."

"I'm sorry to hear it," he told her, offering his sympathies.

She gave a laugh without humor and said, "It was the night before our wedding, October 31st."

Eric's head whipped around. So she had been engaged to this man then? And they had been attacked on Halloween, the night before their wedding, just like he and Shelly had been. And she had a link with the crow. And she was living in the apartment that he had once shared with Shelly. It was all coming together now. That was why he'd been brought back to the Land of the Living. He was supposed to avenge her lover's death.

He stole a glance out the window and found a car full of men parked across the street. They were all gazing up at the window, up at him.

Or maybe… he was sent with another purpose. Maybe… he was sent to protect her…

**Please let me know what you think. My stories are hardly receiving any reviews and I haven't been getting too many messages about my stories either. The more feedback I get, the more prompted I'll be to write more. I know it's been a LONG time since I posted but I've got 3 chapters of this to post today so I'll put them up for all of you to read.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note:** **Here's the second chapter. Hopefully you liked the first one and came back for more. I've just got one more posted after this but the more reviews and messages I get, the more coals under the fire of my little butt to keep me motivated to write some more.**

**Chapter 2:**

_**~***__**Elizabeth Sorenson**__***~**_

Libby woke up the next morning and headed into the bathroom. She went about her business and washed her hands before shuffling barefooted down the hallway. She found that Houdini was tapping at the window. She went over to open the window and let the bird in. He flew straight over and landed on the back of one of the chairs there in the living room. She started to walk back through the living room again, heading towards the kitchen, but froze when she saw Eric lying on the couch.

He was sleeping soundly and a smile curled her lips. He looked so peaceful. But then a frown curled her full lips downward as she wondered why he'd slept out on the couch instead of in the spare room. She walked over to kneel down next to the couch. She reached out to gently brush his almost-shoulder-length, curly, dark brown hair out of his face.

He sucked in a quick breath in his sleep and his eyes slowly fluttered open.

"Shelly?" he asked, gazing up at her.

"Not Shelly," she replied, giving him a little smile before she asked, "Why didn't you sleep in the spare room? Was the bed uncomfortable?"

"I never made it that far," he answered, sitting up.

She laughed and asked, "My living room kept you _so _entertained that you couldn't make it to the spare bedroom?"

He nodded his head and said, "It's just… It's a _lot_ different since I saw it last…"

Her brown brows wrinkled in confusion and she asked, "Since you saw it last?"

"I used to live here once," he informed her.

She cocked her head to one side and asked, "Really? When?"

Eric sighed and shook his head, pushing himself up from the couch and walking over to gaze out the window. The crow flew over to land on his shoulder. He stared for a long time, as if he was taking everything in. She finally pushed herself to her feet and went over to stand beside him, reaching out to place her hand on his shoulder.

"What's troubling you?" she asked.

He gave a chuckle that lacked any sort of humor as he gazed out the window and replied, "I lived here in 1994, with my fiancé, Shelly Webster."

"Shelly Webster…" she murmured, "She… She _died_… Didn't she?"

He nodded and stated, "I died that night, October 31st, Devil's Night. It was the night before we were supposed to get married. I came home to find that a group of men had broken into our apartment. They had torn the place apart and they had Shelly. I tried to help her but they made me watch as they beat her and raped her. Then they killed me. I came back, a year later, to avenge our deaths. And now I'm back… again…"

Libby gasped and backed away from him, one hand pressed to her mouth. His story… Most people wouldn't have believed him but it was so close to what had happened to her and Gage, her fiancé. It was just like he'd said, Halloween, the night before her and Gage's wedding. She'd come home to find her and Gage's apartment all torn up and a group of men attacking Gage. Those men had killed him right in _front_ of her and they had nearly raped her. But she had escaped. She'd fought her way free and she'd run like hell.

"And those men…?" she asked, "What happened to them?"

"I killed them," he stated simply as if it was an obvious fact, "Every last one of them that played a part in my and Shelly's deaths. They took her from me, the woman of my dreams, my love. I was brought back to the Land of the Living for a reason, Elizabeth. I was sent to kill those men, to seek the justice that the police obviously couldn't provide. Then I died. But now I'm back. And I think I know why I'm here."

"And just why is that?" she asked him.

"I think I'm here to protect you," he answered.

"_Protect_ me?" she questioned.

He just nodded to her as he finally turned his head to look at her.

"Protect me from _what?"_ she inquired.

"There was a group of men in a car parked across the street last night. They were staring up at the apartment complex," he told her, "I think they were looking at this apartment in particular."

Her brown eyes grew wide and filled with fear and she paled visibly, starting to back away.

"Oh God!" she cried.

He turned completely to face her then and looked at her with a grave expression on his face as he informed her, "It all makes sense now. You're living in the apartment that Shelly and I lived in. You and your fiancé were attacked on Devil's Night, the night before your wedding. You were forced to watch as they killed him but you managed to get away. And now the men are after you again. That's why the crow has awakened me, why it brought me to you."

She started shaking her head. She didn't know if she believed all this stuff. Sure, it sounded like what this man had been through was horrific and it seemed like they had been through very similar events. But he sure as hell didn't look like he was almost 40 years old. He didn't look at day over 20! And she didn't know if she believed in all this mumbo jumbo about the crow bringing him to her. That just sounded like a bunch of bullshit to her.

"How the hell am I supposed to believe you?" she asked him.

"I knew you'd say that," he told her.

He walked past her and into the kitchen.

She followed him slowly and watched as he reached out for one of the steak knives there in the rack on the countertop. When he turned around to face her, her eyes grew real wide and she backed away, her hands up to protect herself.

"I'm not going to hurt you," Eric stated, "That would go against the purpose I was brought back to serve. And if I do what I'm supposed to, I'll get to go back to Heaven. I'll get to see Shelly again."

"Wh-What are you gonna do?" Libby stammered.

"This," he informed her, taking the knife and cutting his hand open.

She gasped and gave a little cry of surprise, one of her hands flying over her mouth as she watched him.

"Oh my God!" she cried, "You're crazy! Here! God we've gotta wrap that and take you to the hospital!"

She hurried over to the cabinets to grab a hand towel and then turned towards him, reaching out like she was going to wrap his hand.

But he moved it away from her and held it up, instructing, "Watch."

"I am _not_ gonna watch you bleed all over my floor!" she scolded, trying to reach for his hand for a second time.

But again, he pulled it away from her.

"_Watch_," he repeated, his tone a little more firm this time.

And, right before her amazed eyes, the wound in his hand sealed shut. He'd stood right there in her very own kitchen and sliced his hand open with one of her steak knives. But, as she reached out in disbelief to take his once-injured, big hand and hold it between both of her tiny ones and peer down at it, she found that it was perfectly fine again.

She looked up at him with amazement and asked, "What _are_ you?"

"I don't know," he answered truthfully.

Libby just blinked and he went on to say, "I'm not a mere human. That much I do know. I have inhuman strength, incredible speed and stealth. All my wounds heal. I was like this the first time I came back from the dead. Until they injured the crow… It's my link between the Land of the Living and the Realm of the Dead. When it is hurt or killed, it affects me. When they injured the crow, I lost my immortality. I was killed that night and I went to rest in peace with Shelly."

She nodded to him and they both looked over to the crow, which was still perched on the back of one of the chairs in the living room.

"So Houdini brought you to me?" she questioned, finally starting to come around to the idea of this whole supernatural man that was standing before her.

"Yes," Eric confirmed, "Houdini, as you call him, brought me to you. Your link with the bird, the bond he has developed with you, was strong enough for him to wake me again. I don't know whether he already knew this was going to happen or if he developed a bond with you and came to me after you had been attacked. All I know is that I'm back and I'm here to protect you."

She nodded to him but didn't say a word.

"So… You hungry? I was going to fix breakfast before I found you out here on the couch," she finally questioned, gazing up at him.

He shrugged his shoulders and said, "I don't really know. I never ate while I was here in the Land of the Living last. I was only concerned with finding the men that had killed Shelly and me and making them suffer like they forced us to suffer. I was too busy dealing with the mental torture and the pain of losing Shelly all over again. I lived it over and over in my head. When I wasn't suffering from that, I was busy plotting how to kill the men that had hurt Shelly and me. And after I plotted, I killed them."

He said it all as if it was just the cold hard facts, as if there weren't people involved.

"Don't look at me like that," he told her, turning his back to her to grip the kitchen chair in front of him with both hands as he leaned over it a little, hanging his head and hunching his shoulders, "You felt the same pain, the same rage, after your beloved Gage died. You wanted to hunt those men down and kill them all, to make them suffer, make them bleed, make them _pay_."

She opened her mouth to protest but found that she couldn't.

There was a knock on the door and she cursed, _"Shit!"_

"What?" Eric questioned.

"Oh I forgot that I was having company today. I'm sorry about this," she apologized, "I've gotta go get dressed though."

He gazed down at the tank top and jeans he'd been wearing that she'd given him last night and went over to the couch to pick the hoodie up, pulling it over his head and smoothing it out.

She headed down the hallway and into her room.

_**-=**__**Eric Draven**__**=-**_

Eric walked over to the door and pulled it open.

"She's just getting changed," he informed the small group of people that were waiting outside the apartment.

They all stared at him with wide eyes and he looked them all over, taking his time to size them all up. Three of them were men and one was a woman.

One of the men had brown hair that nearly fell to his shoulders and stubble covered his jaw, chin, and above his upper lip. He had full lips and a nose that was a little on the short side but it had an upturn to the end of it like Libby's. In fact, their resemblance was uncanny. His eyes were hazel and matched hers in color and he stood at about 6'0" with a frame that was rippling with muscle. He had broad shoulders and a broad chest but his hips were narrow. While Libby was short and curvy, he was tall and muscular.

One man stood at about 6'1" with blue-gray eyes and, while he wasn't quite as toned as the first man, he was still muscular. He had broad shoulders and a broad chest. His nose was slender and his lips were full. His hair was dirty blonde in color and it almost brushed his shoulders. He had matching facial hair in the form of the start of a beard and a mustache and facial hair that trailed along his jaw.

The final man stood at about 6'3" and he was built with a leaner frame, in comparison to the first and second man, boasting broad shoulders and a broad chest but narrow hips and lean muscles that corded over his body. His eyes were the color of steel and he had full lips. His nose was slender, like the second man's, and he had stubble above his upper lip, below his bottom lip, and on his chin. His hair was light brown in color.

The woman was just a tiny thing, like Libby. She probably stood at 5'3" with brown hair that reached her chin. Her eyes were hazel and she had a small but cute nose that had a little upturn to it. Her lips were full and her features were pretty. She had large, full breasts, flaring hips, and long, slender legs. She was built with curves about like Libby and he had to smile at that. While she was no Libby, she was still beautiful.

He had no idea where that thought came from and he shook his head at himself, silently scolding himself. He was there to protect Libby and he couldn't let himself get distracted.

"Come in," he told them, moving aside so that they could all enter the apartment and gesturing with a sweep of his hand for them to walk on in.

But they just stood there, eyeing him suspiciously.

"Who are you?" the man with the hazel eyes asked.

"My name is Eric Draven," he replied with a smile.

The woman's eyes narrowed at him and she stated, "Eric Draven was killed at this very apartment almost 20 years ago."

He smiled and said, "So ya know your facts."

He heard the crow give a loud _CAW_ and it flew over to settle on his shoulder. The woman gasped and he heard Libby's voice as she called down the hallway.

"I'm comin'!" she called.

He turned his head to see her shuffling down the hallway and into the living room. She made her way over to the door and offered her guests a bright, cheerful smile.

"Hey, guys. Sorry. I forgot that you were comin' today. I got a visitor last night, as you can see," she explained, gesturing to Eric with one hand.

He smiled at them. He could only imagine their reaction if he would have opened the door wearing the outfit that was currently drying in Libby's washroom somewhere and the white and black makeup on his face. He _really _would have spooked them then. At least he looked like a normal person now.

"This man says he's Eric Draven," the woman standing outside the door told Libby.

Libby just nodded and said, "That's right."

"But he can't be!" the woman exclaimed, "He died 18 years ago! Right here in this apartment! He and his fiancé were both killed 18 years ago!"

Libby nodded and said, "I know. It's hard to believe. But… Well if you listen to him explain, it'll all make sense."

"How the fuck can that make sense?" the man with hazel eyes asked skeptically.

"Just… Come inside, guys. I'll make somethin' ta eat. I was plannin' ta do that anyway. We can talk over some food. I'm sure he'll explain while I slave away at the stove," she stated.

She turned to head into the kitchen and Eric looked expectantly at the group of people. Slowly, hesitantly, they all filed inside and he closed the door behind them. The woman jumped a little.

"Ya look a little jumpy, Jade," he pointed out, "I don't scare you… Do I?"

Her eyes widened, right along with the men's, and she stuttered, "How… How do you know my name?"

He went over to the mantel there in the living room and picked up a picture frame, carrying it over to them and pointing to the picture as he said, "Gage, Libby, Jade, Axel, Zane, and Rafe. 2010. It was Gage's birthday. There's also a few more guys in pictures she has, Joel, Ivan, Chaz, and Julian. I'm guessin' some of the guys were band members of Gage's?"

"One, why the _fuck _are you in my sister's apartment?" the man with hazel eyes demanded, "Two, why the hell are you lookin' at her pictures? And three, what's it matter ta you?"

Eric gave him a smirk and said, "Well you see… I've been brought back to protect Libby. So I've been doing my research. I need to know who poses a threat to her and who doesn't."

"Brought back?" the man with the dirty blonde hair questioned even as the man with light brown hair and steel colored eyes asked, "To protect her?"

He nodded and Libby said, "Why don't you guys all come in and take a seat? Eric, there's a saucer of food in the fridge that I made up for Houdini last night. I'll bet he's hungry."

Eric went to fetch the saucer for the bird and set it on the kitchen table. The others didn't seem to be bothered by the bird so he assumed that they were already used to his presence.

"Explain," Jade told him, looking right at him.

He nodded and said, "Gladly. Try to keep up. I don't like to repeat myself."

The men's brows rose at his words but Jade nodded.

"On October 31st, 1993, I came home to find my apartment – _this_ apartment – completely torn apart. Clothes, picture frames, furniture, hell _everything_ was scattered all over the floor. I found a group of men attacking my fiancé, Shelly Webster. They forced me to watch as they beat and raped her. Then they killed me. She was rushed to the hospital but she died after 30 hours of pain and suffering. Her body just couldn't take it. A year later, I was brought back from the dead to avenge our deaths. With the guidance of the crow, I hunted down each and every one of the sick fucks that were responsible for our pain, our agony, our deaths. And I killed them. I died again after my task had been completed. That was the sole reason for me to be back in the Land of the Living. Houdini, as Libby calls him, had been shot and I had lost my immortality. I had been shot, stabbed, and I died that night. I went to be with my love, Shelly. But now I'm back. And I'm here to protect Elizabeth. That's the only thing that seems to make sense. Why else would I be brought back to this apartment? Why else would the crow have a connection to her?" Eric explained.

The others sat, dumbfounded and unable to speak.

"He went through what I did," Libby spoke up from her place at the stove, "Except I didn't die. And Eric thinks the men might be after me again. He said that he saw a car full of men parked across the street just last night. He said it looked like they were staring up at this apartment."

"How the fuck can you believe this horseshit, Libbs?" the man with hazel eyes asked.

She sighed and stole a glance over at Eric, nodding to him. He walked over to the sink, where he'd laid the knife he'd used earlier. He picked it up and held his hand out to them, holding it over the sink.

"Watch," he instructed them.

He brought the knife up and sliced his hand open. Jade gasped and the men cursed. But, right before their very eyes, he healed.

"I can be shot or stabbed and it heals. Broken bones mend. I have superhuman strength and incredible speed. The crow is my guide, my link between the Land of the Living and the Realm of the Dead," he informed them.

"So you're like some vigilante hit man or something?" the man with the dirty blonde hair inquired.

"And bodyguard got added to that job description apparently," Eric joked, "So I told you who I am and why I'm here. Who are _you?"_

"You?" Eric asked as he pointed at the man with the hazel eyes, "Name and how you know her."

Libby laughed from her spot at the stove even as the man narrowed his hazel eyes at Eric.

"Rafe Verona," he answered, "I'm Libby's older brother."

"You don't have the same last name as her," Eric pointed out.

"We all have different last names," the man with dirty blonde hair informed him, "Our mom was the town whore."

Eric's dark brows rose but he nodded and pointed to the man that had just spoken, demanding, "Name."

"Axel Rhodes," he replied.

"And you?" Eric asked, pointing at the last man.

"Zane Mathers," the man answered.

Eric nodded slowly and inquired, "So you're all her brothers?"

They all nodded and he looked at Jade and questioned, "And you're her best friend?"

Jade nodded.

"I see…" he stated, giving a slow nod again before he pondered aloud, "So the other men in the pictures must've been Gage's band mates."

The four nodded.

"Right. Well… Speed dating's over, guys. Food's done," Libby told them all as she turned the stove off and reached up into the cabinet to pull out some plates and set them on the countertop next to the skillet.

Eric turned to see that she had fixed something he'd never eaten before.

"What is that?" he asked her.

"Corn beef hash with whole kernel sweet corn and scrambled eggs in it," she replied, "There's coffee made or there's grape juice, sweet tea, or milk in the fridge. There's toast already buttered over there and grape jelly or cinnamon and sugar. Help yourself."

Libby's brothers and her best friend didn't need to be told twice. They all stood from their seats and made their way over to start loading their plates up.

**Please let me know what you think. Your reviews and message are HIGHLY appreciated.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note:**** Here's the last chapter I have finished of this story so far. If you liked it so far, please let me know. If you have any ideas or suggestions for later chapters, those are all MORE than welcome. If I like them, I just might use some of them and give you credit in the chapters I use ideas of yours in. I know this is a shorter chapter but it's all I could come up with at the time I was writing it.**

**Chapter 3:**

_**~***__**Elizabeth Sorenson**__***~**_

Libby watched as Eric interacted with her family and her best friend. They all ate together at the kitchen table, sharing small talk. Eric asked the boys several questions.

"So what was your life like growin' up?" Eric asked between shoveling bites of food into his mouth, "This is _delicious_ by the way, Elizabeth."

She found that he'd taken to calling her by her full name, even though everyone else just called her Libby.

The three boys gave a single snort of laughter that lacked any humor and his eyes roamed around the table.

"Hell," was all Rafe answered.

Libby knew that the boys wouldn't talk about it so she sighed before taking a deep breath and starting in, informing him, "Axel is the oldest of the four of us. He got the worst of it. He practically raised Rafe and Rafe helped him raise Zane. The three boys raised me together."

"So you're the baby of the family?" Eric inquired.

She nodded and he questioned, "But why didn't your mother raise you?"

She sighed and said, "Our mom was never really 'Mother of the Year' material. She went through post-partum depression after she had each of us and she slipped into this zombified state. She barely ate. She wouldn't do anything around the house or take care of any of her children. Life for her just stopped. Of course, she'd never been the kind to work anyway. She relied on men or our grandparents to provide for her and she passed us kids off whenever she could. In fact, when I was 3 years old, she gave us all to our grandparents to raise. She couldn't stand the sight of us I guess and my brothers weren't even troublemakers at that age because they were too busy looking out for me and each other. We grew up quick. We grew up tough. We grew up learning that no one was going to look out for us except for each other. We were the only ones that we could rely on. And it made us a very close-knit family. Life wasn't easy, by any means. Everyone in town talked shit about our mom, and rightfully so. But that didn't mean that we were trash too. That didn't mean that we weren't any good. We worked our _asses _off to make sure that we weren't associated with our mother, that we weren't compared to her."

"Yeah. Some fuckin' mother, huh?" Rafe commented.

Eric looked at Libby and stated, "There's somethin' you're not tellin' me. There's somethin' you're holdin' back."

She looked away from him and murmured quietly, "One of my mother's many boyfriends molested me when I was 11. I was desperate ta get away, ta be _anywhere_ but with her. So I moved in with my father. _Big_ mistake. I was mentally abused for three and a half years of my life and my self-esteem plummeted even lower. To make matters worse, when I came back when I was 16, her boyfriends began to hit on me. I put up with it because I knew that she was happy with them. But I didn't spend that much time with her anymore. I rarely ever saw her. I was living with my brothers at that point in time since Axel and Rafe were both old enough to live out on their own and we all lived together. Zane and I went to school while they worked and we got jobs during the summer to help support us. When they found out that mom's boyfriend had touched me… Well we'll put it this way… He doesn't need a cell in jail anymore."

Eric nodded and said, "I would've done the same. The men that beat and raped Shelly didn't make it to prison either. I think my form of justice was a hell of a lot better-suited for them than rotting in some damn cell would've been. I don't give a shit about what they did to me. They killed my once-fiancé."

The men nodded in understanding and agreement.

"So life was tough for all of you. I'm sorry about that," Eric voiced his sympathies, "But it's made you who you are."

Libby nodded in agreement and commented, "I've always said that I never regret anything. You can learn a lesson from everything that happens in your life, whether it was a good experience or a bad one. No matter how bad things get, you can always take something away from it. And everything that we go through in life shapes us, molds us, makes us who we are."

He nodded to her and she added, "And sure, losing Gage was the worst pain I've ever experienced in this life but I know that he wouldn't want me to just sit around and mourn all damn day for the rest of my life. I know that he'd want me to continue going to school, to pursue a career that I'm interested in, to get a job that I enjoy. I know that he'd want me to move on, to find someone else to love with all my heart. He wouldn't want me to sit around and be unhappy all the time. He'd want me to enjoy life, to revel in the little things. We used to sit there on the couch and watch the sun come up. We used to stare at all the lights of the city after the sun went down. We used to talk about how our days had gone over supper or what we planned to do that day over breakfast. All the small things you take for granted in life aren't as trivial as you might think. Because you never know how many more of those moments you'll get."

She saw Eric nod again and he told her, "I couldn't agree with you more. Little things… used to mean so much to Shelly. I used to think they were kind of trivial. _Believe_ me. Nothing is trivial. I never knew that until after I'd been brought back to the Land of the Living the first time."

Libby smiled and said, "She was a very smart woman."

He nodded, giving a smile of his own, and agreed, "That she was. She was brilliant… and beautiful… and she was so kind to everyone we knew. Shelly was… well Shelly. There's no other way to describe her really."

Libby nodded. He didn't need to explain his lost love to her or why he loved her. She understood it all just fine. His Shelly was his version of her Gage and vice versa.

"So what? The fact that you two went through very similar events brought you two together or something?" Rafe asked curiously.

"Not necessarily," Eric answered, "But I think that has a lot to do with it, yes. She was also living in my apartment when it happened. She's _still _living in my old apartment. And she has a connection with the crow. I think that the crow formed a bond with her and that's why it brought me to her, to help her and protect her. He's my guide in this world, my link between the Land of the Living and the Realm of the Dead. And the fact that the men that attacked your sister were after the crow that night probably had something to do with it. I don't know if animals can feel guilt or not but if we can, I can only imagine that they can too. Maybe he feels that her lover's death and her attack was his fault. I don't know. But I do know that I'm back here for a reason and that I fully intend to do whatever it is that I'm meant to do. And right now, I think that I was brought back to protect Elizabeth. Just last night when I looked out the window, I saw a car full of men parked across the street. And they were looking up at this apartment. If she is in danger, I'll protect her with my life. It's my duty. I can't get back to Shelly until I fulfill what needs to be done."

She saw her brothers nod to him and knew that they liked his line of thinking.

"So… What do we do now?" Zane asked curiously.

"_We_ don't do anything," Eric informed him, "You boys aren't a part of this. _I _wait for the crow to give me the signal. It's my guide here in the Land of the Living. It leads me to the people I have to find, the people I have to kill. I don't want any of you getting involved. But know this… if the crow gets injured, I lose my immortality, my invincibility. And if the crow dies… Well I'm sure you all know what happens."

Their eyes widened but they all nodded.

"Jade, you're very quiet," Eric commented, "Do you have any questions for me?"

She shook her head and replied, "No. I don't think so. I think you pretty much covered it all."

He nodded and said, "Good."

_**-=**__**Eric Draven**__**=-**_

Eric liked Libby's family. They didn't take any shit, and rightfully so, considering the shit they'd been through as kids. And the more he came to find out about them, the more he liked. He knew that they were both surprised and amazed by the fact that he'd actually come back from the dead and that he was now invincible. But they were all taking this a _hell _of a lot better than he'd thought they would.

When breakfast was finished, Libby started collecting the dirty plates and carrying them over to the sink. Jay went over to the sink and started filling it with water and soap as Libby began to sort the utensils and the skillet she'd used to fix breakfast with.

But Eric walked over to stand beside her and tell her, "You go sit with the boys and relax."

Jay looked up at him with her brows wrinkled in confusion, telling him, "No, _you're_ supposed to go sit with the boys and relax. Libby and I can handle this."

"Since I'm staying in the apartment with her, the _least _I can do is help out around the place," Eric insisted, "Besides, it's not all that hard to rinse shit off and put it into the dishwasher."

He saw Jay's lips twitch and he knew that she was fighting a smile.

"Go on," he told her, jerking his head in the direction of the living room, "You'd better go referee or it'll get ugly."

The boys had gotten up from their places at the kitchen table to filter into the living room and take up the couch and living room chairs. Axel had the remote and he was flipping through the channels, trying to see if any good games were playing. He found a hockey match and grinned victoriously.

"20 bucks says the Blackhawks win," Axel said, looking right at Rafe.

"Make it 50. And I say the Leaves are gonna take 'em," Rafe challenged.

"You and your stupid Canadian teams," Axel joked, rolling his eyes.

"Yeah well my 'stupid' Canadian teams kick your stupid American teams' asses," Rafe informed him, reaching out to slap him upside the back of the head.

"Hey!" Axel growled.

"Guys," Zane tried to interrupt.

"Come 'ere, ya little peckerwood," Axel fumed, reaching out to try to slap Rafe upside the back of the head to get even with him.

But Rafe ducked out of the way and laughed just to taunt him.

Eric gave Jay a pointed look and she gave a huff, sighing, "Oh all _right._ But just this once."

He smirked at her and she stuck her tongue out at him and crossed her eyes. He imitated the face she made and she giggled, heading off into the living room to go play referee and supervise Libby's brothers.

Eric heard two sharp _THWACK_ noises and chuckled as he heard Jay scold, "Stop it, the both of ya! Now sit there and watch TV like a couple of good boys or I'll separate ya, so help me God."

He could see how she fit right into the family. And, from what he'd come to understand, she and Libby had a very close bond with one another. Libby and Jay talked about anything and everything, they confided everything in each other and they shared their deepest, darkest secrets and worries. He knew that Jay meant a hell of a lot to Libby and vice versa.

He rinsed the dishes Libby passed him off and put them into the dishwasher. He rolled up his sleeves and insisted on doing the dishes that couldn't be put into the dishwasher.

"What are you doing?" Libby asked him as he used his hip to gently nudge her out of the way even as he reached out for the utensils she'd used to make their breakfast.

"Doing the dishes. What's it look like?" he teased lightly, chuckling.

"Well I can see that. But you're a guest here and I'm not _about _to make you do the damn dishes," she said, setting her hands on her hips.

He laughed some more and stated, "Well I insist that I do them."

"Well too bad," she replied, using her own hip to bump his and try to get him to move out of the way.

But he didn't budge. He widened his stance just a little and smirked down at her.

"Ooo you…" she growled quietly, narrowing those hazel eyes as she looked up at him.

He laughed and she gave a loud sigh.

"Well would ya look at that," he heard Axel pipe up, "He's pitchin' a fit for Libby ta let him do the dishes."

"This isn't a fit," Eric informed him, his eyes never leaving Libby's as he began to wash the silverware without looking down at his hands.

"20 bucks says she wins," Rafe said, looking at Axel.

"You've got yourself a deal. I think he'll be the taker on this one," Axel challenged.

Jay ignored them both and informed her best friend, "Ya can't win, Libbs. He's as stubborn as an ox."

Libby's full lips curled up into a smirk as she gazed up at him and asked, "Is that so?"

He knew that she was about to try something. She had that mischievous glint in her eyes.

"Don't you do it," he told her, "I don't know what you're plannin'. But don't do it."

She gave a big grin and asked, "Why what are you talking about, Eric?"

"You're plannin' somethin'. I can see it in your eyes," he replied.

"Who…?" she asked, blinking her eyes and looking quite innocent, "Me…?"

He watched as she dipped her hand into the water. At first he thought that she was going to try to take the spatula out of his hand, so he tightened his grip on the handle. But, instead, she scooped up some of the bubbles and reached up to smear them onto his cheek.

He gasped in surprise and she giggled, reaching back in while he was still comprehending what she'd just done and grabbing some more to rub into his other cheek.

"Here," she said, "We've gotta make it match. Oh! And we can't forget your nose!"

She dabbed a blob of bubbles onto his nose and she giggled uproariously as she looked at him.

"What's goin' on in there?" he heard Rafe ask.

He made the mistake of turning to face her family and friend and they all began to laugh at him too.

Rafe gave a smug smirk as he glanced at his older brother. He held his hand out and curled his fingers in the national "Gimme" gesture. Axel just glared at him.

"Man, she got you _good," _Rafe told Eric.

Eric turned back to face Libby and narrowed his hazel eyes at her.

She stopped laughing and got this nervous look on her face as her eyes began to dart around the kitchen, looking for the quickest route of escape.

"_Oh_ no ya don't!" he told her, lunging for her as she tried to bolt and catching her in his strong arms.

She struggled and he chuckled, holding her tight and moving her towards the sink again.

"You didn't take a shower this morning. I think it's time I help ya with that. Can't have ya goin' around with a dirty face, now can we?" he teased as he let go of her with one arm, tightening the other around her to hold her still and keep her close, and scooped up some suds.

He slid a finger above her upper lip, one along her chin and jaw, and a couple down her cheeks.

"_Perfect!"_ he cried, releasing her.

He heard the others hooting from the living room and Rafe wheezed, "Man, you look like frickin' Santa Claus!"

She pouted and then passed a glare Eric's way. He smirked triumphantly and she stuck her tongue out at him before scrunching her face up and making an "Eck!" noise. She wiped her face clean with the sleeve of her shirt and then wiped her fingers over her tongue to try to get rid of the taste of the soap.

"Ehhhh," she said as she shook her head hard, "That shit's _gross!"_

"Well what'd ya expect?" Eric asked her, "It's soap!"

She narrowed her eyes at him and slowly stalked off into the living room, her eyes never leaving his. It reminded him of an angry cat skulking away after it had been scolded by its owner. She just had that "I'm watching you" expression as she headed over to join the others.

Rafe sat forward again and held out his hand, palm up, curling his fingers at Axel.

"Man, that's _bullshit!"_ Axel whined, "He dressed her up like fuckin' Santa Claus! You said so yourself! I think _he_ wins."

"Both of ya pass that money over and quit your damn bitchin'," Jay told them, reaching forward to snatch the money from both of the men.

She sat back with a smug smirk on her face and started counting aloud, just to throw it in the boys' faces.

Eric chuckled to himself and reached up to wipe away the soap suds that she'd smeared across his face. He could get used to this family. He fit right in.

**As always, please review or message me with your thoughs and I've really appreciated having you read this.**


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